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DJ Maphorisa has dismissed claims that Nigerian artists stole Amapiano, saying South African musicians allowed them to embrace and develop the sound.
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The South African producer pointed to collaborations such as “Sponono” as examples of how artists from both countries helped take Amapiano beyond South Africa.
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Maphorisa praised Nigerian musicians as “very smart” and “very aggressive,” saying South African artists can learn from their approach to the music business and global expansion.
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He urged African musicians to move past arguments over genre ownership and focus on collaboration, shared knowledge and building a stronger global music industry.
August 29, (THEWILL) — South African DJ and producer DJ Maphorisa has dismissed claims that Nigerian artists “stole” Amapiano, saying South African musicians played a role in helping the genre spread beyond the country.
Speaking with veteran South African DJ Oskido on I Believe Podcast, Chapter 9, Maphorisa said Nigerian artists were allowed to embrace and develop the sound.
“We gave them a go-ahead, we gave them the green light to do Amapiano,” he said.
The producer pointed to collaborations between South African and Nigerian artists as part of the reason the genre gained a foothold in Nigeria and other markets.
He cited “Sponono,” a collaboration involving Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Wizkid, Burna Boy and Cassper Nyovest, as an example of the early connection between the two music industries.
Released in 2020, “Sponono” brought some of Nigeria’s biggest Afrobeats stars into the Amapiano conversation as the South African genre was beginning to expand across the continent.
For Maphorisa, such collaborations were not a sign that Nigerian artists were taking Amapiano from South Africa. Instead, they created an opportunity for artists from both countries to exchange ideas and help the sound grow.
He also praised the way Nigerian artists approach the business side of music, describing them as “very smart” and “very aggressive.”
Maphorisa said South African musicians could learn from Nigeria’s approach to collaboration, marketing and pursuing opportunities beyond the local market.
He recalled being inspired by the way Nigerian stars Don Jazzy and D’banj built their careers and connected with international artists, including their collaboration with American rapper Kanye West.
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According to Maphorisa, such moves showed the importance of thinking beyond local markets and creating international partnerships.
His comments come amid the long-running debate over Amapiano’s origins and ownership, as the genre continues to spread globally through collaborations between South African and Nigerian artists.
Maphorisa, however, believes the conversation should move beyond rivalry and questions of ownership.
He and Oskido argued that African musicians should focus on learning from one another and working together to grow the continent’s music industry.
Maphorisa wants African artists to move beyond arguments over Amapiano’s ownership and focus on stronger partnerships, better business strategies and collaboration to take African music to a wider global audience.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
